Taken by 24 year old Ricky Patel while he was on safari in Kanha, India, the images show the colourful plumes of a peacock becoming part of a deer.

Originally on the lookout for tigers near the Bahathenga waterhole, Ricky, from Kolkata, saw the male deerwalk in front of a dancing peacock and decided to get his camera out.

He said: “I was waiting for a tiger but saw the deercoming to drink the water and thought I’d try and click something different.

“It took three attempts to get the perfect shot but when I did, it was beautiful!”

Peacocks are large, colorful pheasants (typically blue and green) known for their iridescent tails.

Distinctive Tail Feathers

These tail feathers, or coverts, spread out in a distinctive train that is more than 60 percent of the bird’s total body length and boast colorful "eye" markings of blue, gold, red, and other hues. The large train is used in mating rituals and courtship displays.

It can be arched into a magnificent fan that reaches across the bird's back and touches the ground on either side. Females are believed to choose their mates according to the size, color, and quality of these outrageous feather trains.